Does anybody out there want to see ads when he navigates online, such as when he watches a video or reads an article? Probably no one. While getting mad and being willing to throw your laptop out the window because of the suffocating prevalence of ads is no good option, there are much more peaceful ways to deal with such situations.
First of all, we need to understand that those ads are necessary for those who have a specific website. They generate income for those websites and therefore allow them to keep existing on the web. Anybody who has a website or even a YouTube channel knows this very well.
Second, you need to know that modern browsers are capable of blocking ads from showing up to you. All you need is a little tech magic, and you’re done. The Opera browser is no exception, so let’s find out how you can use it to get rid of ads!
Enable the built-in ad blocker
Did you know that the Opera browser has a built-in ad blocker? All you have to do is learn how to enable it:
Step 1: Launch the Opera browser. There’s no use telling you about all the obvious steps that you have to take until you start the browser, such as opening the computer, getting connected to the internet, or having your electricity bills paid. You know that stuff already.
Step 2: Head over to the settings menu.
Step 3: Access the ad-blocking feature. From the Settings menu, select “Advanced,” which will show up in the left sidebar. Find and select “Privacy & Security,” and the “Block ads” option should emerge.
Step 4: Toggle the switch that appears next to “Block ads” to activate the built-in ad blocker.
Extra settings for ad blocker
You also have the possibility to manage exceptions for specific websites where you wish to allow ads or block them. To do so, you need to select “Manage Exceptions,” an option that appears under “Block ads.” In this region, you can add websites to a whitelist or blacklist. The blacklist will obviously block the ads, while it’s up to you to figure out what the whitelist can do.
For blocked ads, there’s also the option to see relevant statistics. It’s also possible to see how many blocked ads there are for a specific website by selecting the shield icon from the address bar.
Extensions for enhanced ad blocking
Opera’s built-in ad blocker is indeed pretty powerful, but it’s also possible to choose to use extensions to get your hands on additional features. Here’s how to add extensions to Opera:
Step 1: Open the Opera Extensions Page. You can do so by selecting the Opera icon, heading over to “Extensions,” and then choosing “Extensions” from a dropdown menu that appears.
Step 2: Search for ad blocker extensions. You can do so by using the search bar on the Extensions page, as you will have to find ad-blocking extensions. “Adblock Plus” will do just fine.
Step 3: Install the Extension by clicking on the extension you want and then selecting the “Add to Opera” button.
Step 4: It’s time to manage the extension settings. After installation is complete, you have the chance to manage the extension settings by selecting the extension icon from the toolbar or by heading over to the extension settings from the Opera Extensions region.
Opera is often considered a stubborn browser, and maybe it’s sometimes true. But it doesn’t have to be that way all the time, especially if you know what you’re doing while using it. Any software app can be “tamed,” including browsers.
You can also feel free to check out our previous article about how to use the incognito mode in the Opera browser.
Tim M. Hill helped bring Digital-Overload from a weekly newsletter to a full-fledged news site by creating a new website and branding. He continues to assist in keeping the site responsive and well organized for the readers. As a writer to Digital-Overload, Tim mainly covers mobile news and gadgets.
